B&M invented the Floorless Coaster and opened their first one, Bizarro at Six Flags Great Adventure, in April 1999. As the name suggests, the train has no floor. Riders sit on a seat that is similar to the B&M Inverted Coaster type, but is fixed to a central spine at the bottom of the train. The station has a retractable floor so riders can get on and off the train with ease. There are well over a dozen B&M Floorless Coasters in operation, three of which were refurbished from a B&M Standup coaster: Patriot at California’s Great America, Firebird at Six Flags America in Maryland, and Rougarou at Cedar Point in Ohio, USA.
In 2002, the first B&M Flying Coaster, Air, opened at Alton Towers, UK. Riders sit in specially designed seats that tip riders backwards 90°, so they are facing the floor in a “flying Superman position”. The seats have large, comfortable restraints that secure riders’ legs and bodies. These coasters tend to have swooping drops and helices to create the illusion of flight. There are nearly a dozen B&M Flying coasters in operation, half of which can be found in the USA.
A B&M Hyper Coaster is a roller coaster that is over 200 feet (60.96m) tall. They are Sitting Coasters without inversions that feature big drops and airtime hills. The trains have clamshell lapbar-style restraints that pin the rider in around their waist. Some newer Hyper Coaster trains have a staggered seating arrangement so every rider is exposed to the rush of air down the drops. Well over a dozen B&M Hypers have been built since the first one, Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia, USA, debuted in 1999.
Bolliger & Mabillard revolutionized intense coaster thrills when they created their Inverted Coaster model in 1992. The trains are suspended below the track and are floorless so riders’ legs are dangling. There are over 30 B&M Inverted Coasters in the world, and the vast majority were built in the mid-90s when they were all the rage. Inverted Coasters always feature various inversions, including some unique to this ride type. Although most B&M Inverted Coasters are custom, there is a standard model called “Batman,” named after the first one of its kind at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, USA.
Bolliger & Mabillard do not produce Launch Coasters as a rule, as they are not part of their portfolio. They produced a one-off launched coaster in 1999 – Incredible Hulk at Islands of Adventure in Florida, USA. The train is launched from 0-40 mph (64 km/h) in 2 seconds out of the station using a tire propulsion system. B&M officially classifies this coaster as a Sitting Coaster. In 2015, B&M produced their second Launch Coaster, this time it was a Wing Coaster model – Thunderbird at Holiday World in Indiana, USA. The train is launched 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds using an LSM propulsion system.
Bolliger & Mabillard were already familiar with the Standup Coaster model because they created several while working for Giovanola. In 1990, they produced their own version – Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America (see Original above). Riders stand throughout by perching atop a small bicycle-type seat and are held in by over-the-shoulder restraints. Less than a half dozen of these coasters are in operation, and new ones look highly unlikely, as the latest was built in 1999.
In addition to Matterhorn Bobsleds, Arrow built a few other unique coasters. Other than the Disney classic, the most well-known is Gemini at Cedar Point in Ohio, USA. The steel hybrid dueling coaster opened in 1978 as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world and remains a park guest favorite.
One of the most unique coaster designs Arrow created was the monorail concept Cycle Chase at Knott’s Berry Farm in California, USA. This motorcycle-themed coaster had trains that consisted of three motorcycles that could seat up to two riders, which raced around the track. Five years after opening in 1976, the design and name were changed to Wacky Soap Box Racers, where the motorcycle trains were switched to single cars that could hold up to five riders.
A year after Cycle Chased opened, Pleasure Beach Blackpool brought the same model to the UK called Steeplechase, where up to two riders mount horses to race around the track. Unlike its counterpart in the USA, which closed in 1996, Steeplechase still operates to this day.
Unfortunately, Arrow Dynamics went bust in 2001, leaving behind a legacy of 101 roller coasters. All of its assets were acquired by S&S Worldwide in 2002, which preserved most of the company under the name “S&S Arrow”. While not quite the same, it’s comforting to know that S&S preserved all of Arrow’s designs and they will still influence future attractions.
Bolliger & Mabillard Inc. Chemin des Dailles 31 CH-1870 Monthey Switzerland Phone: +41 244 721 580 eMail: [email protected] Website
